MORE FARMS

Te Puke Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 61, 2 August 1938, Page 3

MORE FARMS

URGED

MR. Cl- H--BURNETT’S VIEWS

,The attitude of , the farmers throughout New Zealand was discussed by Mr C. H. Burnett (Government, Tauranga), who advocated more intensive settlement, apprenticeship in farming, and more financial assistance for farmers requiring farm buildings. Mr Burnett said he would be amazed if the working farmers let go the guaranteed price plan for a will-o’-the-wisp scheme called compensated prices. Prominent men in the dairy industry had clearly indicated that they believed the guaranteed price plan Would Stand.

Scare lines had appeared in the ( Press of New Zealand about the way the Government’s policy was , menacing freehold tenure, Mr Bur- , nett said, but no Government had interfered less with freehold tenures ] tfyap the present Government. His , father had been a freehold farmer ■< and had also owned freehold. An Opposition member: Do yon Stand for freehold? Mr Burnett: Yes, I stand for freehold tenure to-day. Even if the farmer had the freehold of his land, Mr Burnett continued, there was an obligation upon him to see that the land was looked after. In many ways the Crown tenant had the advantage over the freeholder because, he enjoyed the protection of the State. The Crown tenant could not sell his land without the permission of the Land Board and it would be a good thing if the freeholders had some similar check upon them. There had been far to much speculation in land. During the boom period more farms bad changed hands in Taranaki than the number of farms in that Province. Farmers with freehold speculated and got into i difficulties,,, but the Crown tenants.. had/Jpeqp, well protected during the sjEmpp.; Increasing Returns. As it. was.largely, from primary industries that , the wealth of the country must come, said Mr Burnett, returns could be increased by intensifying production. That meant a vigorous subdivision policy, the development of farm land through roading and higher cultivation. There were many areas in New Zealand capable of being brought into more intense production, and the Minister of Lands deserved credit for what he was doing in that direction. The lure of the city attracted many young men and women from the country and the problem of farm labour was becoming a pressing one, Mr Burnett said. The young people could not be blamed for going to other employment that'offers greater security and he suggested a farm apprenticeship scheme should be evolved to provide more promise to those who adopted farming as an occupation. After the farm worker had served his apprenticeship there would have to be provision for him to secure an area of land. He suggested that the farming members of the House should get together and draft a scheme for submission to the Government.